Biography

Andrew Geddes, portrait painter and print-maker, was born in Edinburgh and attended Edinburgh University. He worked as a clerk for five years; only after his father's death was he able to study at the Royal Academy Schools in London. He returned to Edinburgh in 1810 and set up a portrait studio; he was back in London by 1814. With a fine sense of texture and colour, Geddes excelled at 'fancy pictures' - portraits of sitters dressed in exotic costume. His European travels enriched his art, in particular, a visit to Holland in 1839, where he admired the etched work of Rembrandt. Geddes was also an important collector of Old Master drawings, paintings and prints.